


You’re Still My Friend

by temporaryistemporary



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Hurt TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mentioned Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Michael my beloved, Platonic Relationships, Protective Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Toby Smith | Tubbo, TommyInnit Has PTSD (Video Blogging RPF), resurrected tommyinnit, will probably add more tags as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-26 07:20:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30102300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/temporaryistemporary/pseuds/temporaryistemporary
Summary: Tubbo and Ranboo decide the best way to help their friend is to have them all live together in their mansion as a family. They just need to convince Tommy of this.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), TommyInnit & Ranboo, Tommyinnit & Tubbo, Tommyinnit & Tubbo & Ranboo
Comments: 32
Kudos: 486





	1. Even if you don’t see it

**Author's Note:**

> do not take any of this as shipping or I will come after you
> 
> also sorry about the lack of updates on my other series recently, I will get back to those soon, but I am very obsessed with the current storyline atm

Ranboo didn’t get mad when Tommy burned the allium in front of him. He understood the younger boy was going through a lot. The other had just been trapped in a prison, thought to be dead, with the man that had been terrorizing the server for so long. It was understandable that he would lash out at kind gestures.

He wasn’t hurt when Tommy hurled obscenities or insults at him. Even when they had first met, Ranboo could tell the other had a tendency to hide his emotions behind harsh words and bared teeth. It was only natural that he would resort back to those habits to shield himself from more pain.

And Ranboo couldn’t blame the boy for feeling left behind. The younger had been locked up for nearly two weeks and so much had changed in such a short time. He would’ve been concerned if Tommy had adjusted perfectly with no setbacks whatsoever. Things weren’t how the other boy remembered and Ranboo could understand how terrifying that was.

So no, the enderman hybrid wasn’t angry or sad that Tommy was acting the way he was towards him. And he knew the other’s newfound fears and attitude was through no fault of his own.

He blamed Dream. For forcing the youngest on the server into exile and attempting to frighten him into submission. For trying to use a child’s, someone not that much younger than Ranboo, prized possessions against him and threatening to take his friend’s final life right in front of him. For killing Tommy in such an awful and violent way and then bringing him back to life just to force out every terrible detail of the occurrence. He also blamed Sam. For leaving Tommy alone with Dream and doing nothing to help until it was far too late.

Ranboo was upset that he couldn’t help Tommy like he wanted to. Not without the boy thinking there was some kind of catch or ulterior motive. As if someone couldn’t just do something nice or helpful without wanting something in return. It made him sick, that the younger thought this way, that he truly believed he couldn’t get help without having to worry about being backstabbed in the end.

And Ranboo was _pissed_ that Tommy, or any of the kids on the server, including himself, had to go through the things they did. He hated that Tommy had to learn to look into the words and the actions of others so intricately in order to protect himself from people that claimed to be friends. He hated that Tubbo had to learn to fend for himself so young because he was always left behind in the end. He hated that he, himself, had to learn to read into the way people spoke so he would know if someone was trying to manipulate his already awful memories.

He hated that Tommy still got hurt by others because even when he knew they were trying to hurt him, he still kept them around.

(He loved that Tommy still saw the good in people, even after so many had caused him pain.)

He hated that Tubbo insisted he do everything for himself, even when Ranboo was perfectly capable of helping him.

(He loved that Tubbo was so passionate in everything he did, and did every project to the fullest extent.)

He hated that certain people were still able to hold power over him, even if he was so careful with everything that could be used against him.

(He would protect everything he held dear to him with his life. He wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or not.)

Tommy was a friend. He was Ranboo’s _first_ friend. He was loud and funny and smart. And Ranboo was aware that there were many others on the server that hated how loud the boy was, but he loved it. Tommy was like a beacon, beckoning him in with his bright personality and sunny smile that held just enough edge to it that he felt comfortable sharing his own sharp toothed grin. He knew the others humor was a bit off putting at times, with jokes that sometimes made no sense or thoughts that were spoken with no filter, but it was perfect. The way the younger would quip back at others, or deliver one liners with just the right inflection, would always put a smile on Ranboo’s face, or even force a bubbling burst of laughter out of his chest. Many of the others thought Tommy was an idiot, a fool, naive. But Ranboo knew better, had heard it in the stories told of the fight for L’Manberg’s independence, had read it in the letters that he and the boy had shared, had seen it on the day before a nation's destruction. In the way that Tommy had helped fight for and found a country, in the way that his written words were so much more eloquent and put together when given time to put his racing thoughts on paper, in the way that the youngest had immediately rallied everyone around him for supplies and plans for survival (something that had seemed impossible and out of reach only moments before).

Ranboo thinks maybe that was why he gravitated towards Tommy in the beginning, why they had become such fast friends. He felt like a moth drawn to a raging fire, entranced by the dancing flames with no fear of getting burned.

But Tommy was so different now, so quiet and reserved. His eyes were dull, even as they eyed everything and everyone in silent suspicion, and his clothes and hair were ratty and dirty, covered in blood and ash and dirt. Even after three days of being out of the prison it seemed as if the boy cared nothing about cleaning himself up, or taking care of himself in any way.

(The enderman hybrid had seen how little Tommy was eating, and it was even more obvious how much sleep the other was losing.)

Seeing his friend like this made a pit grow in his stomach, the feeling clawing its way up his chest the longer it went on, made worse by the fact that he could do nothing to help. Tommy made it clear he wanted nothing to do with Ranboo, so he was forced to sit back and watch as the other suffered. The only other person that the boy let close was Tubbo, and even that was iffy.

So he was relieved when his platonic husband came to him with the request to have Tommy move in with them to the mansion.

“-and I know it’s a lot to ask-” He was saying.

“Tubbo.”

“-but I really don’t want to leave him alone right now.” The shorter was fidgeting now, hands switching between tugging at his hair to running his fingers along the fluffy fabric at the edge of his sleeves.

“Tub-”

“This wasn’t the plan, I get it but-”

“Hey!” Ranboo cut in and moved his clawed hands to rest on either side of Tubbo’s head, locking eyes despite how much it made his skin crawl. “It’s okay. I think it’s a good idea.”

Tubbo sniffled, eyes watering. “Really?”

The enderman hybrid nodded, “Really. He’s been through a lot, we all have. I think it’d be good for all of us.” He paused and his tail snapped around anxiously. “As long as Tommy agrees, of course.”

The other boy smiled gratefully, grabbing Ranboo’s hands in his and taking them away from his face as a tear slipped down his cheek. “I think he would,” he whispered, “he’s already been staying in Snowchester.”

Ranboo looked at him in shock. That bit of information was… surprising. He hadn’t known that, had assumed Tommy had just been staying in his home on the main SMP, or the hotel. But, at the same time, it made perfect sense.

“You know,” Tubbo spoke again, “we talked about running away, Tommy and I. It was a long time ago, but it was something I considered off and on for a while. We wanted to leave and go somewhere we could just _live_ , be kids and not have to fight to survive.”

It sounded nice, Ranboo would admit. To be free of the war and the sides and the danger. To be someplace far away and be at peace. The idea that they could just be children and not have to worry about adults who put too much pressure and expectations on them. He liked it a lot. Maybe a little too much.

“Do you think it could be like that someday?”

_Do you think we’ll live that long?_

“I’d like to think so.”

_Only if the villains of this story are gone for good._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> head full. full of thoughts. BIG Q!!
> 
> _GHLATT_


	2. Even if I have to convince you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mansion is finished and it’s time to move in, there’s just one more thing that needs to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: brief depiction of violence (very short flashback thing), talk of Tommy’s death

Techno had told him to die like a hero once, standing tall and threatening with a crossbow in one hand and a wither skull in the other, every bit the weapon he claimed he wasn’t. A loaded cannon ready to tear through everything they built.

Tommy hadn’t died a hero that day, or the next, or any day after that.

When Tommy does die, it’s not in an epic duel, or a war, or even an explosion. He is murdered, plain and simple and brutal. He doesn’t even die as a hero, but as a frightened child at the hands of his abuser.

A proper tragedy.

* * *

  
The mansion was impressive, beautiful even. It was elegant and calming and homey all at once. Foolish really did work miracles.

The only problem was… Tommy didn’t know why he was here.

The other man (god? demi god?) had just finished showing Ranboo and Tubbo their new home while Tommy trailed behind them with Michael secured on his shoulders as the kid looked around in wonder, and had then left with his final payment and a goodbye thrown over his shoulder. This left the three teens and piglin child alone in the large house, and Tommy had no idea what he was supposed to do now.

He’d been staying in Tubbo’s house (his old house now) since the second night after he had gotten out of prison, the first night having been spent tossing and turning in the bed in his dirt hut while he flinched at every little noise. Tommy hated it. Maybe Tubbo would let him move into his now abandoned house?

(Deep down he knew it wouldn’t change a thing. He would still be alone with his thoughts and the nightmares. It would be the same damn thing, just with new walls and new noises to torment his already aching head.)

A tug of his hair startled him out of his thoughts and he winced ( _-there was a large hand threaded through his hair, roughly gripping the locks and slamming his head into the obsidian-_ ), reaching up to pull a tiny hooved hand away from his head. Michael squealed at him and he shifted the child off of his shoulders to settle him against his hip. The kid squealed again, nuzzling his face against Tommy’s cheek. It was calming and he pulled the child closer to his chest.

“ _Aw_ , Tommy!”

Tommy’s face burned and he whirled around to look at Tubbo as the other came down the stairs with Ranboo in tow. A wide smile was spread across the ram hybrid’s face with a similar one creeping onto the taller boy’s own. _Pricks._

“What?” Tommy snapped.

Tubbo shook his head, grin never leaving but growing softer. “Nothing, big man. Just happy you two are getting along.”

He grumbled under his breath but said nothing as Michael played with his hair again, this time softly running his tiny hands through the strands that were pulled back with a ribbon and resting over his shoulder. The child seemed obsessed with his hair and Tommy had a feeling it had something to do with the color reminding the little piglin of gold, even with the white streaks that were prominent near his hairline.

“What do you think?” Ranboo spoke up. “Of the mansion, I mean.”

“It’s pretty cool, I guess.” Tommy said after a moment. He huffed as Michael gently freed his hair from the ribbon, a sound almost like a giggle leaving the child’s mouth as the blonde strands fell in loose curls around his throat. “It’s a little big for three people though, isn’t it?”

Tubbo laughed, the sound coming out low with a note of fondness to it. He came up and plucked the now squirming piglin from Tommy’s grasp when the child reached for the other boy, cooing affectionately at him.

“Yeah, about that,” Tubbo started, playfully bouncing Michael in his arms, “We were actually wondering if you’d want to move in with us?”

_What?_

“What?” Tommy breathed out. He couldn’t have heard that correctly, right?

His friend’s face softened at his confusion. “Ranboo and I have talked about it already,” he said as the enderman hybrid came to stand next to them. “We think it’d be a good idea for you to stay here with us.”

Tommy looked between them for a moment, hands fidgeting with his forgotten hair ribbon. He didn’t understand why they would want him here. He was loud and selfish and a liability, and it was a miracle that Tubbo had even let him stay in his old house in the first place. They wouldn’t want him moving in with them, surely, he was an awful roommate. Even Technoblade knew that. He took things without asking, he didn’t do well cleaning up after himself, he would wake them up with his constant nightmares. They would get sick of his shit after a while, he knew that.

Even Ranboo -kind, soft spoken Ranboo- would grow tired of him. He was surprised it hadn’t happened already, with how he had been treating the other lately. He swore up and down he wasn’t jealous but it was hard to stick to his convictions when his eyes locked onto the golden bands around each of the older boys’ horns. It wasn’t logical, he knew nobody could “steal” Tubbo, he was allowed to have other friends, but Tommy had never done well with change. But it didn’t matter because Ranboo would become annoyed by him eventually, and would want nothing to do with him.

It was a miracle he had managed to keep Tubbo around this long, really. Especially with everything he had put the other through: dragging him along with Wilbur to fight for L’Manberg, having him risk his life to spy on Manberg, Doomsday, the disc war. Tubbo had lost two of his lives already and had almost lost his third because of him. In his mind, he could link every bad thing that ever happened to his friend back to him in some way. It’s a wonder Tubbo sticks around him, it truly is.

Tommy tells them as much, but not in nearly as much detail. Tells them he’s dangerous to have around for too long, that he’s annoying and they’ll want him gone sooner rather than later, but it’s okay because everyone does, eventually.

(He keeps the embarrassing bits to himself, how he knows he’s losing Tubbo as his best friend and just the thought of it is nearly enough to send him to his knees, how he really valued the friendship he and Ranboo had before his exile but he was scared to let anyone else close to him because everyone either hurt him or got hurt in the end.)

And Tubbo is staring at him now, his son seemingly falling asleep against his shoulder and a look in his eyes that makes Tommy want to yell and cry all at once. He’s about to snap at him that he doesn’t need the other boy’s damn _pity_ , but Ranboo cuts him off.

“Tommy, please listen to me,” He starts with such conviction in his voice that Tommy can’t help but listen, eyes focused just to the right of the other boy’s head (a habit stemming from the knowledge of the other’s dislike for eye contact). “You are _not_ annoying. You are not a danger to us, or a liability, or whatever other bad things you keep telling yourself. You are one of the most selfless and courageous people I have ever met, and whoever convinced you otherwise is an idiot and clearly doesn’t know you very well. You’re my friend, _our_ friend, and there is nothing I would like more right now than for you to agree to move in with us.” The enderman hybrid moved to hover a hand over Tommy’s shoulder, not touching until he received a nod from the younger boy. The contact was warm. “We love you. Please, stay with us?”

And that was all it took for Tommy to break. He threw himself into the taller boy’s chest, wrapping one arm around Ranboo’s torso and the other tucked between them, his face ducked into the crook of his own arm to prevent his tears from burning the hybrid. Almost immediately, a rumbling purr could be heard and two lanky arms wrapped around him as the other buried his face into Tommy’s hair.

Tommy did his best to hold back his sobs, breathing in and out heavily in an attempt to calm himself. A hand landed on his shoulder and his stomach lurched. He turned his head, seeing the scarred face of his best friend, still holding a snoozing Michael. Tubbo had a sad smile on his face and the hand moved to his face, swiping a thumb to clear away the tears.

“Love you, Toms,” He whispered.

Another noise escaped Tommy’s lips and he leaned into the hand. “Love you too, Tubs.” The purring ramped up in volume and a tail snuck around to thump lightly against his side and Tommy choked out a startled laugh. “I guess I love you too, Ranboob. Clingy bitch.”

The last part was mumbled but the enderman hybrid seemed content with the answer, giving one last squeeze before letting the youngest step away from the embrace.

“So?” Tubbo piped up once they separated, wide eyes on Tommy, who huffed and ducked his head, face red.

“I guess I can move in with you fuckers.” He ignored the cheers from his friends as well as the embarrassed blush that spread to his ears. “Oh shut up! It’s just because you both would keep bothering me if I didn’t.”

Tubbo chuckled, adjusting Michael against his shoulder. “Sure, big man,” he said and turned to walk further into the mansion. “I’m gonna go lay Michael down for bed and then we can help you pick out your room, yeah?”

Tommy nodded in agreement, flush fading from his face. He watched as Ranboo trailed after his platonic husband, wanting to say goodnight to his son, leaving him alone in the entry hall. It wasn’t as daunting as before, the tension in his shoulders had lessened and he could breathe a bit easier. He already felt like he was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> current mood: hhhhhhhhHhhhhhhHHHHH


End file.
